BOV Approves Room and Board Rates, Gives Faculty Seat on Board

Posted: January 31, 2008 at 1:00 am, Last Updated: November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

At its meeting on Wednesday, Mason’s Board of Visitors (BOV) approved room and board rates for the 2008-09 academic year and voted to give the faculty a nonvoting seat on the full board for the first time.

Although the actual cost will vary according to what plan a student selects, the average room and board for most students living on campus, a population of 4,800 by next fall, will increase by 4.5 percent or $310.

Mason has consistently had one of the smallest room and board increases among universities in Virginia for the past 10 years. The increase was necessary to cover the rising costs of staffing, utilities and construction, administrators noted.

At the same time, to create greater flexibility and value for students, Mason will introduce six new variations of meal plans next fall. For example, some of the plans will allow students to use their meal allotment at any time throughout a semester rather than require them to use a specified number within a week.

In historic action, the BOV approved an ex officio seat for the chair of the Faculty Senate on the full board. The current chair, Suzanne Slayden, will take the seat at the BOV’s next meeting in March.

The BOV also approved a master of public health degree in the College of Health and Human Services. The new degree will prepare students for careers in public health or for doctoral programs in public health-related fields. The program was proposed as a response to growing student demand and the overwhelming shortage of public health workers. The program now goes to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia for approval.